Her Baby
by bibliophilemnm
Summary: What does Ron and Hermione's son think about the new baby?


Disclaimer: None of it belongs to me, no matter how much I wish it did (Unfortunately, Ron is included in this).

A/N: This story is dedicated to my beautiful sister (of course she's beautiful...we're twins!) who did endless proofreading, gave me her honest opinion, and wrote down inside jokes as mistakes when I got so frustrated I could this one's for you. We've been through a lot together: We've laughed together; cried together; experienced true loss; comforted each other; gotten in trouble; blamed the other; gotten in huge fights, made up, and talked all night.Honestly, I'm surprised both of us have lived this long. Most people had bet we would kill each other by now. You've been my best friend since the beginning, even when we were in the womb, and no one could ever replace you. Love ya, babe!

Well, just so you know, where you see "Son Bébé" under the title, that's "Her Baby" in French, although it could also be translated as "Sa Bébé". And where you see "Ihr Baby," that's "Her Baby" in German, because that's the language Courtney takes in school.

**Her Baby**

Son Bébé

Ihr Baby

Jack sat watching the door for his father. He had been sitting on this bench for four hours.

He didn't want to be there. Oh, no, he would rather be at his grandparents' house eating Christmas dinner and playing with his cousins.

But no, he was stuck here on this uncomfortable bench, with nothing to do but wait. His Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry had been there a while ago, as well as his Grandma and Grandpa Weasley. But dad had told them to go. They had people back at the house who were waiting to see them. Now, the only people left in the waiting room were him and his Grandma and Grandpa Granger. His father had come out for a few seconds to tell them something about a "C" and Jack heard him tell them that they should go, that it was late, and that he would call them. Of course, they had said "no," that the only thing they had planned was a Christmas party at their friends that they didn't actually want to go to but had been too polite to turn down. Now, at least they had an excuse not to go, and, as his grandmother had brought up, who would watch him?

Jack really hadn't believed his parents when they told him he was going to be a big brother. They had told him this several times before, but it never seemed to happen.

To be perfectly honest, he didn't like any of these little brothers or sisters he was supposed to have received. They always seemed to make mummy sad. Besides, they were taking his place. He was the only baby in this family. He had been for the last five years. He had been "Mummy's baby." He, his mother, and his father were the perfect family. Why did they want another baby?

But no matter what he thought, it evidently didn't mean anything to his parents. His father hadn't even come out to tell him he was a big brother, but rather a nurse did it. For exactly four minutes and thirty-six seconds according to the nurse, when he asked. Could you believe it? Four minutes and they were already forgetting about him! This new kid was mucking things up even worse than he had anticipated.

He looked up at the doors and saw that, at long last, his father was coming out to see him. Maybe all hope wasn't lost. He came out and knelt before Jack.

"You have a new baby sister," Ron informed him.

"Not a brother?" Jack asked sounding a bit disappointed. If he _had_ to have a younger sibling, at least give him something to work with.

"No, not a brother," Ron said laughing slightly. Jack heard Grandma and Grandpa laugh also. He was interested in what was so funny. He didn't see any humor. But his thoughts were interrupted by his father saying, "Do you want to go meet her?"

Jack just shrugged his shoulders, which Ron took as a yes (it was going to be a yes whether Jack liked it or not), picked him up, and started walking.

As they walked, Ron started describing her. "She's tiny, and she has red hair like you, and blue eyes, and her face looks just like Mummy's." Jack laid his head down on Ron's shoulder, listening to what he said and hoping she was better than she sounded. He was having a hard time picturing his mother's face on a baby's body. If the only good thing about her was her looks, she had a long way to go.

When they walked into the room, Jack saw Hermione laying on the hospital bed and holding a bundle of what looked like blankets in her arms. He had never seen his mother lay down before. She was always up and moving around, or sitting on the couch reading, or playing with him, but _never_, in all the time he had known her, had he seen her lay down. Something must be wrong. Yet, she looked happy. It couldn't be too serious.

Ron set Jack down next to the pillows so he was sitting on his knees, and he looked over Hermione's shoulder, wanting a better look.

"Jack," His mother was the only one that ever called him Jack. His mother's side, as well as his father and Uncle Harry called him "Trip" and his father's side called him "J.J." or "Jay" most of the time. "This is your new sister, Elinor," Hermione told him, watching his face. "Elinor Rene Weasley." She turned back to Jack and asked, "Well, what do you think?"

Jack shrugged and looked down at his sister again. "She's okay," he concluded.

Ron laughed and they sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes until Ron said, "I'm going to go and get your parents." He kissed Hermione on the forehead, tousled Jack's hair, and left.

"Do you like your baby sister?" Hermione asked again.

Once again, Jack gave the same response — a shrug and "She's okay."

Hermione moved to push Jack's hair out of his eyes. "What's wrong, baby?"

He laid his head down on her pillows so his head tilted to the side. "Nothing," he said, looking at the floor and sounding disappointed.

"Tell me."

He hesitated, took a deep breath, which Hermione found amusing and explained, "You keep calling me your baby. But I'm not your baby anymore. She is."

Hermione looked at him for a minute as if contemplating what to say next. Then she said, "Do you really think that?" She paused to pull him closer and kiss him on the forehead. "No one — ever — can take your place. You may not be _the_ baby anymore, but you'll always be _my_ baby. You can never be replaced."

"Really?" Jack asked, obviously surprised at the answer.

"Really. You're stuck with us," Hermione replied.

Jack looked at Hermione for a long time as if thinking about what she had said. He had never thought about it like that before. He hugged her around the neck.

"Do you want to hold her?" Hermione asked.

Jack looked hesitant but nodded. She sat up more, crossed her legs, put Elinor in one arm so Jack could sit in her lap, and then put the baby back in front of them both.

"Now put your left arm under her head — be careful," she warned as she stopped so he could replace her arm with his, "and your right arm supports her body."

Jack sat there for a while, holding his sister and looking at her as though in a new light, remaining silent all the while. After a few seconds, Hermione suggested, "Why don't you talk to her?"

"No!" Jack said. He was absolutely not going to talk to a baby. Wasn't holding her enough?

"Why not?" Hermione asked.

"She's just a baby. She won't be able to understand. She can't," he replied.

"Sure she can understand you. How is she going to ever learn to talk if you won't talk to her?" Hermione asked. She knew that she was thinking a little far in advance, but at least Jack would get used to talking to her.

"What should I say? I don't know how to talk to babies."

"It's easy. Just say 'Hi, I'm your big brother, Jack.'"

"Hi, I'm your big brother, Jack," He repeated. He stopped to yawn.

"Tired?" Hermione asked him, knowing what his answer was going to be.

He shook his head no, but his drooping eyelids were betraying him.

"How about I take the baby back from you and you lay down and — rest your eyes," She took the baby and they made the transition back to lying side-by-side. Hermione tucked him in and was sure he would fall asleep until Ron returned with her parents.

Mrs. Granger came right over to Hermione, camera in hand, kissed her, and said, "Happy Christmas, baby," as she slipped her arm through a rope to hold the camera on her wrist and took the baby out of Hermione's hands.

"Happy Christmas, Mum," Hermione replied, praying to God she would forget the camera.

She didn't.

Mrs. Granger handed the baby back to Hermione, and as if she were reading Hermione's mind, exclaimed, "Pictures!"

Hermione groaned as Mrs. Granger motioned for Jack to lean in closer. "Ron, get in the picture!" She insisted. Ron sidled over to the bed and Mrs. Granger held the camera up to her eye, dropped it a bit so it wasn't blocking her face and said, "Hermione, smile! I know you hate pictures. I just want a few." Hermione reluctantly smiled (she really was happy, she just didn't want any pictures) and Mrs. Granger snapped the camera.

The second the light flashed, Elinor started crying. Hermione winced and started rocking the baby to get her to stop and Jack stuck his fingers in his ears and moved away to try and get away from the sound. When Hermione couldn't get her to stop, she handed her to Ron and said, "Try putting her in the bassinet." But it didn't take that much. As soon as Ron took the baby out of Hermione's hands she stopped crying.

Hermione gave Ron a look to which he replied, "She must like me better. She's smart." Hermione rolled her eyes. She obviously didn't find it as amusing as he did.

Ron made to put her in the bassinet as Hermione had originally instructed him, but before he could get there, a voice from the doorway exclaimed, "Ronald Weasley, don't you dare put that child down!" It was Ginny, arms crossed across her chest. Harry, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were right behind. Ginny held her hands our and commanded, "Give her to me." Ron did as he was told and placed the baby in his sister's arms.

"You have to hold her head!" Jack exclaimed.

"I do?" She pretended to sound surprised. "Thank you for telling me." She turned her attention to her sister-in-law and said, "Hermione, she's a doll baby," Ginny commented never taking her eyes off the baby.

"Mmm," was Hermione's only reply.

"What's her name?" Ginny asked.

"Elinor. Elinor Rene," Hermione told her.

"Well, don't hog the baby!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. Ginny handed the baby to her, and the whole group started gushing over the baby.

Harry stood by Hermione and looked at Jack over her shoulder. Hermione looked too, and saw that he had fallen fast asleep.

"Guess he was tired," Harry said to her quietly.

"He'd never admit that," Hermione replied. The rest of the family seemed oblivious to the sleeping boy next to her.

"He's staying with us, isn't he?" Harry asked.

"If you'll still take him," was Hermione's reply.

In an answer, Harry called out to Ginny who was holding the baby again, "Ginny, I think we should bet going. We said we wouldn't stay too long anyway, and this one seems pretty tired."

Ginny looked up, "You're right." She handed the baby to Ron and went over by Jack's side of the bed.

Hermione woke him up and said, "Hey, sleepyhead, are you ready to go home?"

He nodded and Ginny picked him up.

"We should go, too. It's getting late," Mrs. Granger said.

They all crowded around the bed to congratulate them once again. Jack was the last to do so. He leaned down from Ginny's arms and Hermione kissed him and said, "Be good . I love you, Baby."

He let Ron hold him for a second and Ron said, "Make sure Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny don't get into trouble."

Jack went back to Ginny, laid his head on her shoulder, and as they were walking down the hospital hall, right before he fell back asleep, he couldn't help but think to himself, maybe having a little sister wasn't so bad after all.

La Fin.

Das Ende.

A/N: And now, my plea for reviews: PLEASE, PLEASE, KIND SOULS, SEND ME SOMETHING! But Be Kind, Rewind! I'm new at this kind of writing. I would love nothing more than to see an inbox full of reviews.

Much Love guys, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!


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